Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2024

Notes:
World Space Week is celebrated from October 4 to 10, 2024. Each year, it follows a theme set by the United Nations General Assembly. The theme for 2024 is “Space and Climate Change.” This theme highlights the role of space science and technology in addressing extreme weather and climate change. It aims to educate and inspire people about how space exploration can improve our understanding and management of Earth’s climate. It focuses on the partnership between space technology and climate science for a better future.

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Tunisian President Kais Saied was re-elected for a second five-year term with 90.7% of the vote. The election result was announced on 7 October 2024 by Tunisia’s Independent High Authority for Elections. The election, held on 6 October 2024, saw a record-low voter turnout of 28.8%. This is the lowest turnout since the 2011 Jasmine Revolution, which introduced democracy. In the 2019 election, voter turnout was 55%.

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The State of Global Water Resources report 2023 reveals that it was the driest year for global rivers in over three decades. This annual report has been published by the World Meteorological Organization since 2021. It provides a detailed overview of water resources, drawing from various national and international sources. The last five years have seen widespread below-normal river flows and reservoir inflows. All glacier regions reported ice loss in 2023, marking the largest mass loss in 50 years. Over 600 gigatons of water were lost globally, and 3.6 billion people lack adequate water access. This figure is projected to rise to over 5 billion by 2050, indicating a failure to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6.

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The population of Indian Wild Ass (Equus hemionus khur) in Gujarat increased from 6,082 in 2020 to 7,672 in 2024, a rise of 26.14%. The khur is a subspecies of the Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus), also known as the onager. It is primarily found in the Little Rann of Kutch (LRK), Gujarat. Little Rann of Kutch is both a wetland and desert, and the khur is a generalist herbivore. It is solitary and shy, classified as endangered by IUCN and listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

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Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma launched the GREEN Meghalaya Plus (GMP) Scheme to enhance and conserve forest cover. The scheme aims to expand forest conservation by offering monetary rewards for protecting forested areas. It follows the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) principle, supporting individuals and communities committed to conserving natural forests for at least 30 years. This initiative is part of the state’s PES program launched in 2022 and targets an additional 50,000 hectares for conservation. So far, over 3,000 individuals and communities have benefitted, conserving more than 54,000 hectares of natural forest.

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The Phata Byung Hydro Electric Project (HEP) in Uttarakhand has received fresh approval, pending environmental, forest, and wildlife clearances. It is a run-of-the-river project on the Mandakini River in Rudraprayag. There are concerns about the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in the area, with 24 glacial lakes nearby, six of which are critical.
The Mandakini River originates from the Chorabari Glacier near Kedarnath and flows about 81 kilometers before joining the Alaknanda River at Rudraprayag. The Alaknanda eventually converges with the Bhagirathi River at Devaprayag, forming the Ganga and passes by the Madhyamaheshwar temple in Ukhimath.

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The NASA’s Europa Clipper mission launched on October 10, 2024. It aims to explore Jupiter’s moon Europa, which is believed to harbor an ocean beneath its icy surface. Equipped with nine scientific instruments, the spacecraft will analyze the moon’s surface and subsurface for signs of life. Unlike Mars, Europa’s potential for life is linked to its liquid water beneath the ice, making this mission crucial for understanding extraterrestrial life possibilities.

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The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John M. Jumper for contributions to protein science. David Baker received the prize for computational protein design, creating entirely new proteins since 2003. Demis Hassabis and John Jumper were recognized for developing AlphaFold2, an AI model that predicts 3D protein structures. AlphaFold2 can predict the structure of nearly all 200 million identified proteins. These innovations are used in fields like pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and solving challenges like antibiotic resistance and plastic degradation.

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The Ministry of Education launched the registration portal for the fifth phase of Yuva Sangam under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. Yuva Sangam aims to strengthen connections between youth from different states and union territories. Participants aged 18 to 30 can register on the portal. The registration deadline is the 21st of this month. During the Yuva Sangam tours, participants will receive exposure in five areas: Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Tradition), Pragati (Progress), Paraspar Sampark (Interconnection), and Prodyogiki (Technology) over 5-7 days.

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Paleontologists discovered a new sauropod dinosaur species, Ardetosaurus viator, in northern Wyoming, USA. It lived during the Late Jurassic period, around 150 million years ago. Ardetosaurus viator belonged to the Diplodocidae family, known for extremely long necks and tails. Sauropods were the largest land animals, existing for 135 million years across various continents except Antarctica. Their success came from unique adaptations like size, an air sac system, specialized feeding, and laying eggs. Diplodocids have been found in North and South America, Europe, and Africa.